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Nectar is often mentioned in conjunction with ambrosia, the food of the Greek and Roman gods. For centuries, English speakers have used ambrosia to refer to something with an extremely pleasing taste or smell, and nectar to refer to a delicious drink, especially a fruit juice. To the ancient Greeks and Romans, however, the powers of nectar and ambrosia far exceeded those of any earthly fare; consuming nectar and ambrosia gave the gods their immortality. In Greek, the literal meanings of ambrosia and nectar are "immortality" and "overcoming death," respectively. Nektar is believed to be a compound of Greek nek- (probably akin to Latin nec-, meaning "death") and -tar (probably akin to Sanksrit tarati, meaning "he overcomes or crosses over").
Examples of nectar in a Sentence
Meghan Palmer, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Mar. 2026
Both species will eagerly feed at nectar feeders.
—Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2026
The sediment close to their roots can be as sweet as fruit nectars or tree sap, although to human tongues the mud tastes overwhelmingly of salt and decay.
—David George Haskell, Big Think, 27 Mar. 2026
Hummingbirds eat nectar from flowers and small insects, such as aphids and spiders.
—Cheyenne Derksen, Oklahoman, 22 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Nectar.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nectar. Accessed 3 Apr. 2026.
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nectar
noun
